Party Planner: Thanksgiving Made Easy

It’s a meal so memorable that we wait for it all year long. This Thanksgiving, ensure your feast is simple and spectacular with a menu that makes use of smart shortcuts. From a pumpkin bisque soup starter to pecan pie filling in a jar, we’ve got everything you need to prepare an easy—and delicious—holiday feast.

Menu

Start your meal with a pumpkin bisque, the ultimate in fall comforts. The dish comes together in minutes with the help of our starter, showcasing flavors or fresh pumpkin, caramelized onions, fragrant ginger and warm spices.

For the finale to your feast, bake pies that celebrate the iconic flavors of fall. Both this pecan pie and pecan pumpkin butter pie are snaps to prepare with our delicious fillings (they’re both customer favorites).

Party Planner

1 to 2 days ahead: Brine the turkey. Assemble the gratin, cover and refrigerate. Blanch the green beans, cover tightly and refrigerate. Bake the pies; leave the pecan pie at room temperature and cover and refrigerate the pecan pumpkin butter pie overnight.

Day of: Bring the turkey to room temperature and roast according to your meal schedule. Cook the vegetables for the stuffing. Mix the Parker House rolls and let rise.

Before serving: Let the pecan pumpkin butter pie come to room temperature. Make the soup and gravy and finish the stuffings and potatoes. Bake the gratin and the rolls. Finish and reheat the green beans.

Even when you’re using time-savers, you can add extra touches to each dish to make it feel personal and special. Tuck sprigs of thyme into the Parker House rolls, and garnish the soup with sage leaves. Use harvest-themed cutters to make decorative patterns to top pies.

Splashes of fall foliage add intimate, natural charm to the table. Decorate with branches of crimson berries, autumn leaves and sprigs of fresh herbs. Bring in the colors of the season, too, with vibrant orange dinnerware and a warm-hued table runner.

4 comments about “Party Planner: Thanksgiving Made Easy”

How far in advance can I make your published Gluten-free Spoon Bread with Blackberry Farm cornmeal or do I have to freeze it? (How do I reheat?)
How far in advance can I make your “Sweet Potato Mash”? How do I warm it?

Hi Barbara, we would not recommend making this recipe too far ahead. Since it calls for folding whipped egg whites into the batter, the batter may lose volume and fluffiness if it sits for too long before baking. As for the sweet potato mash, you could make it earlier in the day and keep it warm on the stovetop or in a slow cooker.